Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 78

Devanagari script

वचोभिः कठिनैः पुत्रं स्वयं हन्तुं समुद्यतः । धिक्त्वा नारायणं स्तौषि ममारिं स्तौषि चेत्पुनः

Transliteration

vacobhiḥ kaṭhinaiḥ putraṃ svayaṃ hantuṃ samudyataḥ | dhiktvā nārāyaṇaṃ stauṣi mamāriṃ stauṣi cetpunaḥ

Translation

Avec des mots durs, il se leva pour tuer son fils lui-même : « Fi ! Tu loues Nārāyaṇa ! Si tu loues encore mon ennemi… ! »

Word by Word

• vacobhiḥ: with words
• vacobhiḥ: Karaṇa (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vacas (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3), बहुवचन (neuter instrumental plural)

• kaṭhinaiḥ: harsh
• kaṭhinaiḥ: Karaṇa (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: kaṭhina (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसक, तृतीया (3), बहुवचन; विशेषण (instrumental plural agreeing with vacobhiḥ)

• putram: son
• putram: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: putra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2), एकवचन

• svayam: himself
• svayam: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: svayam (अव्यय)
• Form: स्वार्थक-अव्यय (reflexive adverb: oneself)

• hantum: to kill
• hantum: Prayojana (Purpose/प्रयोजन)
• Type: Verb
• Root: han (धातु)
• Form: तुमुन्-प्रत्ययान्त (infinitive: to kill)

• samudyataḥ: ready/intent
• samudyataḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sam-ud-yata (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; yam(धातु)→क्त; उद्+सम् उपसर्ग)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन; भूतकृदन्त (having risen/being ready; intent)

• dhik: shame on!
• dhik: Discourse particle (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: dhik (अव्यय)
• Form: निन्दार्थक-निपात (interjection of censure)

• tvā: you
• tvā: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yusmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्वितीया (2), एकवचन; मध्यमपुरुष-सर्वनाम (accusative singular: you)

• nārāyaṇam: Nārāyaṇa
• nārāyaṇam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: nārāyaṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2), एकवचन

• stauṣi: you praise
• stauṣi: Kriyā (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: stu (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), मध्यमपुरुष (2nd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद (you praise)

• mama: my
• mama: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी (6), एकवचन; उत्तमपुरुष-सर्वनाम (genitive singular: my)

• arim: enemy
• arim: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ari (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2), एकवचन (masculine accusative singular)

• stauṣi: you praise
• stauṣi: Kriyā (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: stu (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), मध्यमपुरुष (2nd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• cet: if
• cet: Condition (शर्त)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: cet (अव्यय)
• Form: शर्तार्थक-अव्यय (conditional particle: if)

• punaḥ: again
• punaḥ: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: punaḥ (अव्यय)
• Form: पुनरावृत्ति-वाचक-अव्यय (adverb: again)

Speaker

Hiraṇyakaśipu

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Vastrāpatha-kṣetra

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Hiraṇyakaśipu stands, shouting, weapon ready; Prahlāda remains unshaken, lips poised for Nārāyaṇa-stuti. The moment freezes at the edge of violence.

Characters & Entities

• Hiraṇyakaśipu
• Prahlāda
• Nārāyaṇa

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Ego sees God as an ‘enemy’; devotion is tested when righteousness is mocked and threatened.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The verse is part of the Vastrāpathakṣetra-māhātmya narration in Prabhāsa-khaṇḍa.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; it is a threat against stuti (praise), indirectly highlighting the power of devotional praise.